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Chai society
Gen Z is putting a trendy twist on Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, and staking the holiday’s claim on the chic social calendar. Actress Avantika Vandanapu (above), the 21-year-old star of Mindy Kaling’s series “Not Suitable for Work,” hosted a celebration of Diwali at Maxwell Social in Tribeca. The evening served up a modern take on tradition, with Chai-tinis and sweets from Flutter Butter Bakery. Guests could get adorned with jewelry and jasmine hair braids courtesy of Maalicious Jewelry. DJ Nava kept the party moving with a Bollywood-meets-modern soundtrack. The guest list was equally zeitgeist-y and as glittery as the saris, drawing a new generation of cultural tastemakers and entertainers, including digital personality Apoorva Mukhija (a k a The Rebel Kid), singer Sheena Melwani, beauty entrepreneur Arshia Moorjani, comedian Kanan Gill and publicist Neerja Patel.
Close quarters for 50 Cent
Gale Brophy overstayed her welcome chatting up 50 Cent at a party at Zoi Nomad to launch her Strike the Gold Caviar. 50 Cent happened to be there to promote his Le Chemin du Roi Champagne and new “Street Fighter” character when he saw the “Members Only: Palm Beach” star. Brophy struck up a conversation with him and was “escorted away after sticking by his side a little too long,” a spy said. But caviar was on her side. We’re told guests were served 3 kilos of it. A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Candace Bushnell and former Mayor Eric Adams all swung by, and we hear 50 took the party downstairs to club Ten11.
His ‘n’ Hearst
Gillian Hearst and her music executive beau, Ryan Jansen, are engaged, Page Six has learned. Jansen popped the question in front of their kids at Patsy’s on Sunday night and the couple celebrated their engagement at Nexus Club in Tribeca for the Nexus Foundation kickoff party on Monday, we hear. “They were both over the moon, talking about how their kids all cried when he asked her,” a source told Page Six. Nexus CEO Christopher Anand, Alex Hamer, Timo Wiland, Lara Meiland-Shaw, and the venue’s event directors Scott Bucheitt and Naeem Delbridge toasted them with a rare bottle of Dom Perignon. Hearst’s childhood bestie, Laura Kornhauser, even came out to fete the pair, despite being nine months pregnant, we’re told. The foundation kicked off a party for their fall charity, “Broadway and Bowties,” which will take place on Nov. 9 with Questlove, Chris Hardwick, and Billy Porter to support Broadway for Arts Education.
Charity case
Humorist Gary Janetti was out some bucks on Monday, but it was for a good cause. Janetti and his husband, stylist to the stars Brad Goreski, attended the God’s Love We Deliver Golden Heart Awards at St. John the Divine. Auctioneer Harry Santa-Olalla warned that if he found someone’s cardboard paddle on the floor, they would be “fined” $500. The first one he plucked off the ground was Janetti’s. The “Start Without Me” author promised Page Six he paid his debt and then some. Other big names at the gala included honorees Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Andrew Scott and Misty Copeland. The evening raised $4 million to help feed sick New Yorkers.
A high note
There isn’t a national anthem Sheryl Lee Ralph can’t sing. After performing America’s “Star-Spangled Banner” in July during Disney’s celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary, the “Abbott Elementary” star sang Jamaica’s anthem at the Plaza Hotel on Friday. Ralph received the International Humanitarian Award at the American Friends of Jamaica’s Hummingbird Gala. She sang the anthem, “Jamaica, Land We Love,” noting it was also a prayer she learned in childhood. The gala was one of the Plaza’s last before it shuts for renovations in January.
Holding court
There was a characteristic mix of client list and set list at a birthday bash for power lawyer and music fanatic David Hryck Friday night. The attorney, often seen at concert halls and music foundation board meetings across town, celebrated at Zero Bond, where Fugees producer Jerry “Wonda” Duplessis played guitar and sang for the birthday boy and his friends, including Sandra Lee, Nikki Haskell, violinist Miri Ben-Ari and more. Toasting Hryck, famed publicist Kelly Cutrone quipped, “Thank you for everything you do for everyone in this room, including keeping our secrets and keeping us out of jail.”